Sanitary napkin



Jan. 19,1931. l v H. Rwiilms .2,067,961

.SANITARY NPKIN original Filed Aprii 1o, 1929 INVENTOR Patented J`n. i9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATiaNT oFFicE- Original application April 10, 1929,I Serial No. 354,074. Divided and this application April 24, 1934, Serial No. 722,095 l 4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-290) t The present invention relates to an improved absorbent sanitary napkin of the type which comprises a'gauze wrapper and an absorbent pad within the wrapper, the pad'consisting of a ma- 5 terial which is readily disintegrable in water and which therefore may be readily disposed of throu the household plumbing system.

Wh' e some of the features -of the present invention are applicable toall types of napkins that fall under the above description these features are disclosed herein as applied to a napkin which utilizes loosely felted, brated wood pulp as the absorbent material. It is to be understood, how-l ever, that these features are not to be limited by the present disclosure. Persons skilled in the art will be able to apply any of the features of the present invention to all types of sanitary napkins.

One of the features of the present invention resides in providing a layer of circumfusing material disposed interiorly of the pad, the circum-A Another object of, the present invention is to i embody interiorly of the pad a deodorizing or disinfecting material. The deodorizing material is preferably applied during the process of manu- 30 facture of the pad in such a manner that it is retained-interiorly of the pad.

Another feature of the present inventionhas to do with the provision of a pad of the type described having its sides and lower face provided 35 with afluid repellent or impervious material so as to further'avoid the'possibilityof any of the fluid which has entered the pad from passing out of its lower face or sides. In order to preventtany possible error by the userthe napkin is also prowaterproofed face. of the napkin from the opposite face thereof.`

A further feature of the invention has to do with the provision interiorlyof the pad of a reinforcing strip of gauze or other suitable fabric which tends to prevent distortion of the. pad and at the same time' serves as a wick for assisting the spreading of` the iiuid'laterally 'and longitudinally .of the pad.

A further feature of so tneiinynnon has to do with the provision of an auxiliary pad wrapper of sheeted cellulose, the water-proong material being desirably applied throughout suitableareas of the auxiliary paper wrapper.

vided with indicia which clearly distinguishes the pending application Serial #354,074,1fl1ed April 10, 1929 for Absorbent pad. method and'apparatus for manufacture of same. I

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing whichl 5 constitutes part of the present application, the drawing serving only to illustrate\such embodiment. and not being intended to be understood as limiting the invention to any specific form' or any specic portion as disclosed herein.v Many modl- 10' cations of the invention will be apparent to vthose skilled in the art. the scope of the` invention being defined in the appended claims.

t In the drawing forming part of this specification, 15 Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating a napkin embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view, partly broken' away, illustrating the'napkin of Fig. 1 as viewed from Vthe impervious side of the napkin;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 9-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

' Fig. 4 isa plan view on a smaller scale than the l other figures, illustrating the auxiliaryz paper wrapper with the water-proofed areas shown stippled.

The body portion of thel pad comprises two n layers 20 and 29a of absorbent material. This material is desirably loosely felted Wood cellulose which is soft, fluiy, 4Shortfibred, highly absorbtive, and readily disintegrable in water. Between thelayers 204 and 2llathere is interposed a gauze wick I6. This wick member is desirably treated with starch or potato flourv and a deodorizing agent, prior to the association of the wick with the pad layers in thamanner illustrated. The starch A'or potato flour serves as a circumfusing agent for assisting the spreading of uid laterally and lon'- gitudinally of the pad. Itis desirablyappliedrto 'the wick or to a face of one ofthe pad layers in liquid form, and serves also to entrain the de- -f odorizing agent which is applied in powdered form. The starch or potato flour serves further to stiffen the Wick and thereby to assist in maintaining the pad in its original shape. The liquid starch is applied only over the limited area. of the gauze wick indicated by the reference character 10 in Fig. 2. The limited area upon which the liquid starch is applied is so designed that it is completely enclosed within the pad or napkin being of such dimensions that the l starch does not reach to the edges of the formed' pad.

' The pad layers 20 and 20? are desirably en-` 55 zoy closed in an auxiliary wrapper lll of readily disintegrable sheeted material, such as sheeted cellulose, which gives the pad added strength and consistency and prevents any possibility of the pad disintegrating during the packaging, storing and transporting. 'I'he auxiliary wrapper I0 may be composed of one or more plies of sheeted material and is treated with a water repellentl or impervious material such as paraffin in the stippled areas marked 42. When the auxiliary wrapper is wrapped about the pad the marginal portions of the Wrapper are overlapped at the side of vthe pad which is to be worn away from the body so that the bottom and sides ofthe pad are rendered fluid impervious, while the face of the pad to be' worn next to the body remains freely absorbent.

The usual gauze wrapper 63 is provided outside of the auxiliary paper wrapper, the longitudinal margins of the 'gauze wrapper being overlapped at the side ofthe pad which is to be worn away from the, body. For the purpose ofenabling the user to distinguish clearly between the impervious and absorbent faces of the pad, the overlying margin of the gauze member 63 is provided with a colored stripe |04. l

The ,gauze wrapper, as usual, is substantially longer than the enclosed pad, and the end flaps of the. Wrapper are folded into overlapping relation against one face of the pad as illustrated in Fig. 1. Y

I have described what-I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to' be conned to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 4

1. In a sanitary napkin, in combination, a body composed of two superposed pads of loosely felted brous material, said pads being highly absorbent but having little capacity for retaining their shape or integrity, a gauze reenforcing wick strip disposed looselyl between the pads, between the` side boundaries thereof and co-terminous with the ends of the pads, a layer of deodorizing powder disposed adjacent the gauze' strip intermediate the endsthereof, a layer of starchy circum`=g fusing material disposed adjacent the gauze strip Iintermediate the ends thereof, andentraining the deodorizing material and holding it to the gauze strip, and absorbent paper wrapper surrounding Ythe body, said wrapper being water-proofed in the area overlying the edgesvand one face of the body, and a gauze wrapper 'surrounding the paper wrapper -and having supporting end flaps extendingV beyond the ends ofthe body.

vdisposed loosely between the pads, between the side boundaries thereof and co-terminous with the ends of the pads, a layer of deodorizing powder disposed adjacent the gauze strip intermediate the ends thereof, a layer of starchy circumfusing material disposed adjacent the gauze strip `intermediate the ends thereof, and entraining the deodorizing material and holding it to the gauze strip, an absorbent paper wrapper surrounding the body, said wrapper being waterproofed in the area overlying the edges and one face of the body, and a gauze wrapper surrounding the paper` wrapper and havingsupporting end aps extending beyond the ends of the body, said gauze wrapper having a printed mark on its face which overlies the water-proofed face of the paper wrapper to distinguish between the pervious and impervious faces.`

3. In a sanitary napkin, a duplex pad device comprising two superposed pad elements of highly absorbentloosely filled fibrous material having little capacity for retaining its shape and integrity, said device including also a wick element consisting of 'a gauze reenforcing wick stripmonfined between the pads intermediate their side boundaries, and co-terminous with the ends of the pads, starchy circumfusing material entrained by the gauze wick strip, said wick strip being adapted to aid in diffusing the fluid which reaches said wick through said pad elements, and an absorbent paperA wrapper surrounding the body, and a gauze wrapper surrounding the paper Wrapper and having supporting end ilaps extending beyond the ends of the body.

A4. In a sanitary napkin, a duplex pad device comprising two superposed pad elements of light- -1y absorbent loosely fllledfibrous material having little capacity for retaining its shape and integrity, said device including also a wick element consisting of av gauze reenforcing wick strip confined between the pads intermediate their side boundaries, and co-terminous with the ends of the' pads, starchy circumfusing material entrained by the gauze wick strip, said Wick strip being adapted to aid indiffusing the fluid which reaches said wick through said pad elements, and a gauze Wrapper surrounding the pad elements.

HARRISON R. WILLIAMS. 

